Multicompartment dish with coating covers



Oct. 14, 1952 R, KARQFF 2,613,518

MULTICOMPARTMENT DISH WITH COACTING COVER Filed June 21, 1949 2SI-IEETS-SHEET 1 3 I Robert B. Karoff JNVENTOR Oct. 14, 1952 R. B.KAROFF 2,613,518

MULTICOMPARTMENT DISH WIIH COACTING COVER meddune 21, 1949' 2SHEETS--Sl-IEET 2 Robert B, Karoff INVENTOR.

mv w Patented Oct. 14, 1952 MULTICOMPARTMENT DISH WITH COACTING COVERSRobert B. Karoff, New York, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, toNovelty Utilities, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication June 21, 1949, Serial No. 100,390

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structuralrefinements in dishes for serving candy, cigarettes, relishes, orsimilar articles, and also, for containing jewelry or other small goods,and the principal object of the invention is to provide a dish in theform of a receptacle having a plurality of individual compartmentswhich, in turn, are equipped with openable covers, an important featureof the invention residing in the provision of a handle on thereceptacle, together with means on the handle for simultaneously openingand closing the covers of the several compartments.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a dishwhich, from a structural standpoint, is so arranged that it may assume ahighly ornamental form, the working components or mechanism being almostentirely concealed.

Some of the advantages of the invention lie in its simplicity ofconstruction, in its durability, stand in its adaptability to economicalmanufacure.

With the above more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially in the construction andarrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective View of the invention in its closed position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle used in the invention;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional detail, taken substantially in the planeof the line 3--3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the covers used in theinvention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a flange-forming members to which thehandle of the receptacle is secured; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail, taken substantially in theplane of the line 6--6 in Figure 1.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of a dish designated generally by the reference character It,the same embodying in its construction a receptacle l2 provided with acentrally disposed, substantially circular recess l4 and with aplurality of individual compartments l6 which are arranged around therecess 14, as is best shown in Figure 2.

It is to be noted that the marginal wall of the recess I4 is provided inthe upper edge thereof with a set of notches I8 each communicating withone of the compartments. It, the bottom edge of each notch constitutingwhat may be referred to as a fulcrum, the purpose of which will behereinafter more fully described.

Each of the compartments I6 is provided with a cover 20 which preferablyhas a stepped marginal edge 22 so that it may properly seat on the upperedge of the receptacle for which it is intended. (See Figure 3.)

The inner edges of the covers 20 are formed integrally with narrowextensions or fingers 24 which extend through the notches l8 into therecess l4 and terminate at their inner ends with laterally projectingprotuberances or stops 26. (See Figure 4.)

The fingers 24 rockably engage the fulcrumforming bottom edges of thenotches [8, whereby the covers it are swingable vertically between theirclosed positions shown by the full lines in the drawings to their openpositions illustrated by the dotted lines 28 in Figure 3.

Means are provided for simultaneously opening and closing the severalcovers 20, these means consisting of an upright tubular handle 39 whichhas its lower end portion secured upon a tubular boss 32 of a member 34(see Figure 5) which is also equipped with a flange 3G. Marginal edgeportions of this fiange are arched as shown at 38 and regions of theflange between the arched portions are rigidly secured to the receptacle12 in any suitable manner, as indicated at 39 in Figure 6. The securingmeans 39 may be in the form of adhesive cement, fusing, spot welding, orany other conventional bonding, suitable for the material from which thedish is made. The handle 30 is disposed centrally above the recess [4,substantially as shown, and the arched edge portions 38 of the fiange 36provide clearance for the vertically swingable fingers 24 of the covers20.

A cover actuating rod 40 is shiftable longitudinally in the handle 30,the rod 4f! being slidable through the boss 32 of the member 34 and thelower end portion of the rod extending into the recess 14 and havingsecured thereto a diskshaped actuating element 42 which simply restsupon the fingers 24, as shown in Figure 3.

Accordingly, by simply sliding the rod 4!] in the handle 30 in thedirection of the arrow 44 (see Figure 3), the element 12 will depressthe fingers 24 in the recess l4 and, with the bottom edges of thenotches l8 acting as fulcrums, the

covers 20 will be raised to their open position, as shown at 28. On theother hand, when downward pressure on the rod 49 is discontinued, thecovers 20 will automatically return to their closed positions by theinfluence of gravity, and the fingers 24 will correspondingly slide therod 40 upwardly in the handle 30.

To facilitate convenient carrying of the entire dish, the upper end ofthe handle 30 may be provided with a pair of outturned finger pieces 46,while an additional finger piece or pressure bar 48 may be provided atthe upper end of the rod 40 which projects from the upper end of thehandle. The finger piece 48 will facilitate convenient actuation of therod 40, this preferably being effected by engaging two fingers with thefinger pieces 46 and applying downward pressure on the bar 48 with thethumb or the palm of the hand.

Finally, it may be explained that the lateral protuberances 26 providedon the fingers 24 of the covers 20 will efiectively prevent the fingersfrom being withdrawn in an outward direction from the notches 18, thuspreventing complete separation of the covers from their respectivecompartments.

As will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings, the entiredevice may assume a highly ornamental form, such as for example, byshaping the receptacle l2 as well as the covers 2|] in the form ofleaves of a flower, while relatively smaller, auxiliary leaves 50 may beprovided on the receptacle between the main, compartment-forming leavesso that the flange 36 may be secured thereto as described. In addition,a flower-shaped ornament 52 may be mounted on the flange 36 of themember 34 around the lower end portion of the handle 30, substantiallyas shown.

However, it is to be noted that the essence of novelty in the inventionresides in the structural and functional features set forth, while theactual design is shown for illustrative purposes only.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and, accordingly,further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A dish of the character described, comprising in combination, asubstantially fiat receptacle including a circular center portion and atleast three radially projecting side portions each affording acompartment therein, said center portion being provided with a recessand having an annular wall separating said recess from saidcompartments, said wall having an upper edge portion provided withcircumferentially spaced notches affording communication between therespective compartments and the recess, each notch having a bottom edgeconstituting a horizontal fulcrum, a set of upwardly and downwardlyswingable covers provided on the respective compartments, relativelynarrow fingers provided at the inner edges of said covers, said fingersextending through the respective notches into said recess and engagingthe respective fulcrums whereby said covers may be swung, laterallyprojecting stops provided on said fingers in said recess, whereby toprevent the fingers from being withdrawn outwardly from said notches, anupright tubular handle provided at its lower end with a flange rigidlysecured to the center portion of said receptacle and disposed above saidrecess, marginal edge portions of said flange being provided with archesaffording clearance for said fingers, an upright actuating rod slidablethrough said handle and projecting at its lower end into said recess,and a disc disposed in the recess and secured to the lower end of saidrod, said disc operatively engaging said fingers, whereby said coversmay be simultaneously opened and closed.

ROBERT B. KAROFF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 67,011 Clarke Apr. 14, 192591,470 Melendy June 15, 1869 470,870 Lange Mar. 15, 1892 771,138 FrostSept. 2'7, 1904 1,623,397 Dunlap Apr. 5, 1927 2,082,442 Davidson June 1,1937 2,110,921 Scurlock Mar. 15, 1938 2,200,531 Bishelany May 14, 19402,430,222 Goldbert Nov. 4, 1947 2,439,045 FOX Apr. 6, 1948 2,493,279Wright Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 621 GreatBritain Feb. 28, 1872 5,699 Germany June 20, 1879 8,917 Norway Apr. 11,1900 9,058 Great Britain Apr. 14, 1910 18,559 Great Britain Aug. 12,1909 198,322 Germany May 12, 1908

